How to become a Yoga teacher that goes beyond asana teachings
Yoga has primarily two key aspects — physical and philosophical. The physical part deals with the body, and asanas are aimed at achieving perfect fitness of the body. It readies the person for higher spiritual journey. Yoga philosophy is a school of thought that leads one to the path of righteousness and eventually attaining liberation or moksha. It leads the seeker to the stage of realizing oneness with the universal consciousness. It is important to learn yoga from an authentic yoga school in order to attain right knowledge with right practices. We, Himalayan Yoga Association, as one of the top yoga teacher training schools in Rishikesh, we have been focusing on delivering yoga as it is.
A yoga instructor lays the foundation of good physical health and helps the practitioner turn them inward instead of looking for answers for life problems in the outer world. He or she depending upon their own self-practice and wisdom guides the beginners and seekers.
There are many yoga schools that offer yoga teacher trainings in Rishikesh, 200 hour yoga teacher training in rishkesh, you need to make sure you choose a yoga school that follows a traditional, authentic teachings. The path of yoga as suggested by sage Patanjali is an arduous journey for an ordinary person and hence constant motivation is needed all along the way. This makes the role of a yoga teacher more responsible. Additionally, people from all walks of life choose the path of yoga and hence their journey cannot be the same. While a set of people would need to follow certain way, the other group of seekers’ requirements could be different altogether. Moreover, their backgrounds, body-build and objectives could be different. For instance, needs of a working woman on maternity leave could be different from a home-maker carrying multiple responsibilities. A yoga teacher hence needs to be well aware of the peculiar situations, limitations and practical aspects to better guide a beginner or advanced-level practitioners, and our yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh is certainly a right path.
Yoga teacher as a guide to life
Asanas are a tiny drop of the vast ocean called Yoga. A Yogic way of life encompasses various rules and goals to be followed in daily life that mould one into a complete Yogi. A Yoga teacher should be able to guide their student on how to exercise restraint, follow non-violence and stay truthful to self before presenting it to the world. Leading a disciplined and ethical life, and thinking about the universal good are essential qualities of a Yoga teacher. Without practicing these niyamas as explained by Patanjali in his work, one would not be able to prepare self for this life-long journey, cannot be the true Yogi and thus an able teacher. What we offer in our 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh is covering all the aspects of these above.
Yoga teacher as spiritual coach
While the technique of asanas and pranayamas can be mastered with time and patience, Yoga’s spiritual application isn’t possible without understanding the patterns of your mind as it is the regulator of the entire body. Considering mind has the tendency to go astray at the slightest of provocation and is rightly compared to a monkey, it can be at times the biggest hurdle in your spiritual journey. A Yoga teacher should have a good control over their mind and the same can be attained by following a Yogic way of life i.e. absorbing and applying all the Yamas and Niyamas of Patanjali Yoga Sutra. The more one incorporates different aspects of a Yogic life, the better control over mind becomes.
Different people different needs
Every person is unique in their own way and what is beneficial for one can harm the other. This is the reason, learning Yoga without a teacher, may not be able to bring the desired results. An obese person, or a pregnant woman, an arthritis patient or an athlete, a film actor or an IT professional may need different guidance from one another and the deep knowledge of different aspects of Yoga is essential to guide the different kinds of people in the right direction. A Yoga teacher who has the right kind of training is thus able to gain trust from everyone and enjoy wide popularity.
A good communicator
Like any other good teacher, a Yoga trainer should have excellent communication skills so that they can put across their points in a clear, concise and effective manner. The knowledge that they possess can be better passed on with usage of appropriate words, conveying the right information at the right time, and helping one to master the Yogic techniques better. A Yoga teacher who’s a good communicator will never hesitate to clear doubts of their students and help them hone their skills. Such skills can also inspire confidence in students and bridge the knowledge gap better. Yoga teachers who communicate better are the ones that quickly climb the success ladder and are much liked by the learners.
Yoga teacher as a psychological guide
A good Yoga teacher has a mastery over their mind and this helps them to understand others better. Mind is a complex place and there are times when people are overwhelmed with certain circumstances and are unable to find a way forward. A Yoga teacher can double up as life coach in such times providing their students with suitable insight into their problem. A Yoga teacher can also help learners reflect, review and work on themselves, equipping them with crucial life skills to handle challenges better. A better mastery over mind can also help one deal with mental health issues and get over fears.
Conclusion
As sometimes believed, asanas are not synonymous to Yoga but just a part of Yoga philosophy. Learning the ancient practice takes time, patience and almost an entire lifetime. A true Yogi is the one who shares whatever he/she receives, and encourages the learner to aim for even more. Asanas, pranayama, meditation, and other techniques are a part of Yoga, the practice that connects one with the infinite reservoir of knowledge about self, the world and the God. A Yoga trainer must be aware that physical, mental and spiritual aspects of the ancient practice must move in tandem instead of focusing on a single aspect. Our 200 hour yoga teacher training courses in the birth place of yoga, Rishikesh are designed to deliver you the yogic wisdoms as the most authentic way possible.